One positive result of the pandemic-heightened supply chain disruptions of the past year has been a surge in the number of forklifts sold. According to the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), 2021 saw a record high for sales of forklifts in North America: 347,000 units. That dramatic spike in sales (North American sales in 2020 were 230,000 units) was repeated globally as well, with some of the world’s biggest forklift manufacturers seeing double-digit percentage gains over the previous year.
The following slideshow presents MH&L’s annual ranking of the 10 largest global manufacturers of forklifts, ranked by revenue. The ranking includes electric rider trucks (Class 1 and Class 2), motorized hand trucks (Class 3), and internal combustion powered trucks (Class 4 and Class 5). These companies provide some of the leading material handling technologies and vehicles used worldwide by companies to manage their warehouses and distribution centers, and many of them are at the forefront of developing and promoting the latest in forklift safety technologies.
All financial figures are stated in U.S. dollars, based on the relevant exchange rate as of December 31, 2021. The information was provided by the companies, unless otherwise noted.
For comparison purposes, below are previous years' rankings of the Top 10 Forklift Manufacturers:
Top 10 Forklift Manufacturers of 2021
Top 10 Forklift Manufacturers of 2020